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water。 It matched the acrid taste of the air； but it was slightly stronger。 The tang lingered in my mouth；
inescapable。
I ate quickly； this time saving the soup for last。 My stomach reacted more happily today； accepting the
food with better grace。 It barely gurgled。
My body had other needs； though； now that the loudest ones had been sated。 I looked around my dark；
I rocked back and forth； debating。 My hips ached from curving to the bowled shape of the cave。
“Ahem；” Jeb said。
He was looking at me again； his face a deeper color under the white hair than usual。
“You’ve been stuck in here for a while；” he said。 “You need to… get out？”
I nodded。
“Don’t mind a walk myself。” His voice was cheerful。 He sprang to his feet with surprising agility。
I crawled to the edge of my hole； staring out at him cautiously。
“I’ll show you our little washroom；” he continued。 “Now； you should know that we’re going to have to
go through… kind of the main plaza； so to speak。 Don’t worry。 I think everyone will have gotten the
message by now。” Unconsciously； he stroked the length of his gun。
I tried to swallow。 My bladder was so full it was a constant pain； impossible to ignore。 But to parade
right through the middle of the hive of angry killers？ Couldn’t he just bring me a bucket？
He measured the panic in my eyes—watched the way I automatically shrank back farther into the
hole—and his lips pursed in speculation。 Then he turned and started walking down the dark hall。 “Follow
me；” he called back； not looking to see if I obeyed。
I had one vivid flash of Kyle finding me here alone； and was after Jeb before a second passed；
scrambling awkwardly through the opening and then hobbling along on my stiff legs as fast as I could to
catch up。 It felt both horrible and wonderful to stand straight again—the pain was sharp； but the relief
was greater。
I was close behind him when we reached the end of the hall； darkness loomed through the tall broken
oval of the exit。 I hesitated； looking back at the small lamp he’d left on the floor。 It was the only light in
the dark cave。 Was I supposed to bring it？
He heard me stop and turned to peer at me over his shoulder。 I nodded toward the light； then looked
back at him。
“Leave it。 I know my way。” He held out his free hand to me。 “I’ll guide you。”
I stared at the hand for a long moment； and then； feeling the urgency in my bladder； I slowly put my hand
on his palm； barely touching it—the way I would have touched a snake if for some reason I was ever
forced to。
Jeb led me through the blackness with sure； quick steps。 The long tunnel was followed by a series of
bewildering twists in opposing directions。 As we rounded yet another sharp V in the path； I knew I was
hopelessly turned around。 I was sure this was on purpose； and the reason Jeb had left the lamp behind。
He wouldn’t want me knowing too much about how to find my way out of this labyrinth。
We turned another corner； and the first light reached us。 Ahead； a tall； narrow crevice glowed with light
from another room。 This light was not artificial like the little lamp by my cave。 It was too white； too pure。
We couldn’t move through the narrow fracture in the rock side by side。 Jeb went first； towing me close
behind。 Once through—and able to see again—I pulled my hand out of Jeb’s light grip。 He didn’t react in
any way except to put his newly freed hand back on the gun。
We were in a short tunnel； and a brighter light shone through a rough arched doorway。 The walls were
the same holey purple rock。
I could hear voices now。 They were low； less urgent than the last time I’d heard the babble of a human
crowd。 No one was expecting us today。 I could only imagine what the response would be to my
appearance with Jeb。 My palms were cold and wet； my breath came in shallow gasps。 I leaned as close
as I could to Jeb without actually touching him。
“Easy；” he murmured； not turning。 “They’re more afraid of you than you are of them。”
I doubted that。 And even if there were any way that it could be true； fear turned into hatred and violence
in the human heart。
“I won’t let anybody hurt you；” Jeb mumbled as he reached the archway。 “Anyway； might as well get
used to this。”
I wanted to ask what that meant； but he stepped through into the next room。 I crept in after him； half a
step behind； keeping myself hidden by his body as much as possible。 The only thing harder than moving
myself forward into that room was the thought of falling behind Jeb and being caught alone here。
Sudden silence greeted our entrance。
We were in the gigantic； bright cavern again； the one they’d first brought me to。 How long ago was that？
I had no idea。 The ceiling was still too bright for me to make out exactly how it was lit。 I hadn’t noticed
before； but the walls were not unbroken—dozens of irregular gaps opened to adjoining tunnels。 Some of
the openings were huge； others barely large enough for a man to fit through stooped over； some were
natural crevices； others were； if not man…made； at least enhanced by someone’s hands。
Several people stared at us from the recesses of those crevices； frozen in the act of ing or going。
More people were out in the open； their bodies caught in the middle of whatever movement our entrance
had interrupted。 One woman was bent in half； reaching for her shoelaces。 A man’s motionless arms hung
in the air； raised to illustrate some point he’d been making to his panions。 Another man wobbled；
caught off balance in a sudden stop。 His foot came down hard as he struggled to keep steady； the thud of
its fall was the only sound in the vast space。 It echoed through the room。
It was fundamentally wrong for me to feel grateful to that hideous weapon in Jeb’s hands… but I did。 I
knew that without it we would probably have been attacked。 These humans would not stop themselves
from hurting Jeb if it meant they could get to me。 Though we might be attacked despite the gun。 Jeb could
The picture in my head had turned so grisly that I c